Upstream Battle^Ⓡ

80% of marine litter comes from land.

Washed into gutters, blown into streams, lost down drains: litter is carelessly discarded.

So to tackle marine litter, we have to stop litter’s journey from source to sea.

Focused on the River Clyde and its tributaries, Upstream Battle will raise awareness, gather evidence and inspire action.

We will connect communities, individuals, schools, and the private and public sectors.

We all have a part to play in keeping the Clyde clean and protecting our seas.

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What is Upstream Battle?

It’s estimated that up to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic gets into the sea each and every year – that's a truck full of litter a minute. It's killing wildlife, threatening ecosystems and habitats, and is extremely difficult and expensive to clean up.

Many initiatives that tackle marine litter are targeted at cleaning up our beaches or trying to remove litter from the sea once it's there. But, as 80% of all marine litter comes from land, we also need to face this problem upstream, where litter is washed into gutters, blown into streams or carelessly discarded. Worryingly, we are seeing a steady increase in the amount of land-based litter, which means there's a greater chance it'll end up in the sea.

We must stop this cycle of litter and prevent it from entering the sea in the first place.

Upstream Battle will change behaviour and prevent marine litter at source. Focused on the entire length of the River Clyde and its tributaries, we will raise awareness, gather evidence and inspire action.

We will take a unique approach to marine litter and take the issue back inland. From its source in the Lowther Hills, along its major tributaries such as the rivers Kelvin and Leven, to the Forth and Clyde canal, and to the Firth of Clyde, we’ll connect thousands of people in a common goal: to stop litter from getting into the Clyde.

12.7m tonnes of plastic enters the marine environment every year.

80% of marine litter comes from land.

88% of people living in Scotland believe the amount of litter in rivers is a problem.

How will we do this?

Citizen Science

Whilst we know that 80% of marine litter is estimated to come from land, we don’t know in detail how, where or what is getting into the Clyde.

By working with communities along the river and its tributaries, we will create Scotland's first comprehensive river litter data set.

We will support groups, schools and organisations to survey and clean up their local area and contribute to a Clyde-wide litter prevention plan.

Are you a Clean Up group near the Clyde or its tributaries? Or a watersports enthusiast who wants to see a cleaner river? A group of community gardeners who want to make a difference? The Clyde needs you! Join our Citizen Science project.

Raising awareness

We want to make sure that everyone who lives or works near the River Clyde or one of its tributaries knows about the extent of our marine litter problem and is motivated to keep the Clyde clean.

We’re going to be putting a spotlight onto litter grotspots, making videos of the people who live and work on the Clyde and bring this all together into high profile and engaging exhibitions. We’re aiming to inspire people to feel empowered to make changes to their own behaviour – from simple actions like always making sure your litter ends up in a bin, to joining in a clean up.

Do you want to be part of the story? Tell us about what you’re already doing to reduce litter, share your images or let us know if you have ideas you’d like to see us try out. Email us upstreambattle@keepscotlandbeautiful.org

Working with children and young people

We want to motivate young people to reconnect with the River Clyde and to become more aware of the problems litter causes.

We’re going to work with primary schools, challenging pupils to investigate the pathway of litter from their playground into the River Clyde and asking them to come up with their own answer to halt litter’s journey. We’re also going recruit young people as ambassadors for the Clyde – reporting on the issues and solutions through videos, photos and blogs.

Do you or your school want to get involved? Sign up here and we will be in touch with opportunities.

Help us clean up our rivers and protect our seas.

Donate to Upstream Battle

Our ambassadors

Doug Allan
Photographer and Wildlife Cameraman

Dunfermline-born Doug is a natural history cameraman and presenter on programmes including Blue Planet. Having seen first-hand the impact that marine litter has had on wildlife, he is passionate about raising awareness of this global problem.

See my video

Elaine Hopley
Ocean Rower

Paisely-born adventurer Elaine held the Guinness World Record for the fastest solo female to cross the Atlantic in an open-class boat in 2017. She is one of only 15 women to successfully row an ocean solo. Elaine plans to row across the Pacific Ocean to highlight the impact of marine litter.

See my video

Martin Compston
Actor

Greenock-born Martin is an actor best known for his lead role in BBC’s drama Line of Duty. Having grown up on the banks of the Clyde, he is keen to protect the river for generations to come and to highlight the role the river plays in taking litter out to sea.

Upstream Battle^Ⓡ